Just over a week ago we announced a contest to design a new NHLNumbers logo. And aside from those designers who castigated us for soliciting spec work or something, the response was fairly positive. We received a number of excellent entries which we have been poring over with serious minds and profound thoughts.

It's too difficult a decision for us, I think, so we'd like reader impressions as well. We'll forgo the easily skew-able web poll in favor of yays or nays in the comments. Share your thoughts and we'll pick the winner from the finalists by the end of the day.

Thanks again to to everyone who participated.

First up we have what was obviously the strongest submission -

Luckily it was from Nations Network owner Wanye Gretz who was therefore ineligible to enter. Nevertheless, he clearly set a pretty high bar.

C. Best overall in my opinion, some other quality entries but C takes the cake. D looks like a stock market crash, maybe if it was flipped horizontally it would look better otherwise it just looks like the site is headed in a downwards direction!

The "new combined" logo entry is the perfect example of why you should hire a professional. It's a terrible idea. It's kinda like a Well endowed lady wearing a parka.

entry D is borderline perfection by itself.

I was surprised at the quality of that logo given the fact it's a contest open to anyone with a mouse and a bootleg photoshop. Its the real deal, guys.

Meow I think it is safe to assume you created logo D, or someone you know at least.

It is a Great logo for a stand alone company. Nailed the Numbers idea, and put forth a great effort on the NHL feel....
but since it is part of the Nation Network you/they could have easily looked at the rest of the logo's and seen that they have one thing in common.

Dont get me wrong.. it is a great logo. But you should have used a FIST.

I am the designer of Entry D, and to the best of my knowledge I have not met OilerLand, unless I have friends I didn't know read The Nation.

I think your version of the logo works fine without the hockey stick crest squeezed in there. It certainly is right in line with The Nation branding, but I think something simpler on the wrist would look better and make a stronger logo.

I am the designer of Entry D, and to the best of my knowledge I have not met OilerLand, unless I have friends I didn't know read The Nation.

I think your version of the logo works fine without the hockey stick crest squeezed in there. It certainly is right in line with The Nation branding, but I think something simpler on the wrist would look better and make a stronger logo.

Meow that is my bad then, he seemed insulted.

It was hard not to try and include your logo as it was definitely the best one.

I do agree that it feels forced, but it was more of a what if than anything else. Do you have an idea of what could fit on the wrist, I didnt mind the number sign that was used in design C, but I thought it wasnt blending well enough like the orca fin, the oil drop, the flame, and the maple leaf do on the existing logos.

In my most recent addition I re-did yours to include the fist and changed the background to resemble the background the NHL uses for the playoffs.

I didn't design it, nor do I know the person who did, NOR did I enter the contest. But I am a designer and I know what I'm talking about.

NHL numbers is a site that can work on its own and has its own brand power potential. Don't confuse people by using the fist. The team sites can have fist logos because they are a family, a group of similar style sites. They work together. NHL numbers should exist on its own, it is a different niche.

That's my contribution to the contest which I believe is just as valuable as creating a logo entry in the first place.

I need some legal advice. Thinking of holding a contest where I let lawyers submit solutions to my problems online, the I follow the advice I deem best. I get free advice; the lawyer gets free exposure. Everybody wins!

I didn't design it, nor do I know the person who did, NOR did I enter the contest. But I am a designer and I know what I'm talking about.

NHL numbers is a site that can work on its own and has its own brand power potential. Don't confuse people by using the fist. The team sites can have fist logos because they are a family, a group of similar style sites. They work together. NHL numbers should exist on its own, it is a different niche.

That's my contribution to the contest which I believe is just as valuable as creating a logo entry in the first place.

Meow, ok that is my bad, I get it now. You instead were just insulted by the logo being created by "amateurs" instead of hiring a "professional" like yourself.

As long as your a designer then I guess we should all bow down because it is a fact that you know what your talking about?

Question: Would you use a bootlegged version of photoshop, which your initial comment suggested, or would you use a bootlegged version of illustrator to create a logo?

Semantics? Nope.. its kinda like thinking people use a slip'n'slide's to get to work rather than a car... You can travel using both... but one of those is the actual tool used for the task at hand. Since your comment suggests your lack of specific knowledge, one might have to question you knowing what your talking about in this particular area of design.

Is it just me or is the site a blog...about hockey: players, coaches, gm's, and the game itself?
The only difference is that it is based entirely on numbers backing up ideas instead of just part of the time. Ohh and they focus on all 30 NHL teams.. A "family" of teams if you will. 30 FIST's or a FIST 30 times larger would make more sense... No FIST, would make no sense... just like you.

Everybody's voice should be heard including yours and I dont argue that it is just as valuable as the logo ideas themselves... That is what this part of the competition is all about, and also what all of these blog sites are about, but your value is no bigger/smaller than the rest of ours even though your clearly know what your talking about.